Shifting Emotions
by ari-kun2500
Summary: Sasuke was used to being alone. It was how it was and how it had always been. He'd convinced himself that he was content to remain this way but when confusing emotions begin to emerge he finds himself longing for something hes never known but resigning himself to the belief that he'll never have it. Will a chance encounter with a certain blonde change his mind?


Summary: Sasuke was used to being alone. It was how it was ,how it had always been and how he assumed it'd always be. He'd convinced himself that he was content to remain this way but when confusing emotions begin to emerge he finds himself longing for something hes never known but resigning himself to the belief that he'll never have it. Will a chance encounter with a certain blonde change his mind and open his heart to the possibility of happiness?

AN: i apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. :(

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Sasuke sighed as he walked into his apartment, a feeling of emptiness hitting him as he stepped within the dimly lit room. He didn't even know why it bothered him since it had been like this ever since he first bought it three years ago. As a vice president of Uchiha firms he'd gotten used to long hours at work and barley being home. He didn't have time for company and rarely brought anyone except for an occasional partner home. So the loneliness, he'd constantly reminded himself, was something he was used to having not had his parents around for most of his life. It had always really been just him and his brother and he had always been content with that.

It had been three years since his last relationship had failed and he hadn't felt the need to get into another one. so when walking into the door into his empty apartment every night began to awaken feelings he'd told himself he didn't need, he'd attributed it to the fact that he hadn't been home for awhile, but it was six months later and walking into his empty house every night had stated becoming something he dreaded. So much so that in an effort to lessen the feelings he'd began to stay at work later hoping that occupying his time would leave less room to think about them.

What he hadn't expected though was to be proven just how wrong he was about his emotions; for that same feeling to hit earlier that day when Sakura had announced that she and lee were getting married. Sasuke had known they been going out but for some reason it hit him harder than expected that morning just hearing those few words. it was weird how something that seemed inconsequential at one moment was bigger the next, because it suddenly dawned on Sasuke as he stared around the room that he was the only one out of his little friends who didn't have someone, and he wondered how so much had changed in so little. His eyes flickered to Shikamaru who was dating Temari, then to Ino was dating Chouji. Next to them stood Hinata who had been going out with Kiba since college, then there was Garaa who was dating Neji. Surprisingly even Shino had managed to start dating someone.

Watching his friends smiling faces as well as Sakura's as she'd stared at her husband to be, he could remember the pang of hurt then jealousy that had hit him as he watched his friend be happy. And when Sakura had turned to him, a beautiful smile on her face he'd found himself flinching away unable to return it. a small frown had formed on Sakura's face. Small enough that only Sasuke who'd known her all her life had been able to see it but nevertheless he couldn't help feeling like a horrible person. because even if was just for a second he'd had a moment where he hated how happy she looked; how happy they all looked and he'd hated them for it wondering how they could all be so happy when he was all alone, but that same feeling had fled only to be replaced with guilt as soon as Sakura had looked at and he'd hated himself more in the next few moments for the small frown he'd put on her face. Today was supposed to be a happy day and here he was ruining it.

So he'd continued hating himself as he'd plastered a small fake happy look on his face and told her that he was happy for her. The feeling only deepened as moisture gathered around his beautiful friends eyes and she'd pulled him into a bone crushing hug whispering through tears that she loved him and that nothing would change and that they'd still be best friends even though she was getting married. You could only imagine how guilty Sasuke had felt at that moment at hearing his friends words. He'd wanted to rip himself out of her arms and yell that everything was already changing, and that there was nothing they could do about it. But years of Uchiha breeding it seemed had prepared him for this exact moment and he'd never been so happy that he'd learned to tuck away all emotions then at that moment as he forced himself to pull away from her gently instead, cupping his beautiful friends face to push the hair out and her eyes and softly drying her tears with his thumbs forcing himself to smile down at her again. It'd better not he'd replied, leaning down to kiss her forehead, "or I may have to object to this wedding he'd smirked.

Sakura had burst into relieved laughter causing tears to form in her eyes again and all around him his friends joined in. With another bone crushing hug she'd whispered that she loved him and had pulled away after one more glance to go back to lee. Sasuke had stood there not sure what he hated more at that point. The fact that he'd just lied to her or the painful emotions threatening to burst from within him as he watched everyone laughing and having a good time. And suddenly he'd needed to get out of there. He barley remembered what excuse he'd used to get away but Sakura must have believed or known something was wrong because she'd given him a quick hug and kiss to the cheek telling him she'd see him later.

He couldn't get out of there quick enough. Hoping that maybe distancing himself from it all would help, but as he came back into the present and found himself standing in his empty apartment it all came crashing back to him, the loneliness the anger and especially his disgust at the fact that he couldn't even be happy for his friend. Sneering at the empty house that seemed to be mocking him Sasuke didn't think he could spend another minute in the empty house without going crazy. So he grabbed his car keys and did what he always did when he couldn't stand the emotions trying to claw there way out of his chest.

SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS

The water was always calm whenever Sasuke went out there at 4 a.m. Staring at the still water he couldn't help but notice how the whole world seemed to reflect back at him as well as his reflection. A slight shiver ran through his frame. The air always seemed coolest at this time of the night and surrounded by the peaceful quiet it was always easy for Sasuke to get lost in the beauty of the nature around him and were it not for the subtle plunk of his or hitting the water he might have forgotten where he was. It was during this quiet time that he was always able to let go of all the days troubles and to forget about everything that has been going wrong in his life at the moment ; a weary sigh escaped his lips and it was if all the emotions that he'd been fighting with since Sakura's party were unleashed.

A bone weary tiredness seemed to settle into his bones and he suddenly couldn't help feeling like an old man. He laughed bitterly at the thought. Could you imagine it, only 26 years old and already fed up with life. It was a wonder, many people would have killed to be in the position that he was in. young, rich and single how much better could it get. Yet he cant help the aching loneliness and sorrow that fills him as he remembers why he came out here in the first place and how in a few hours he'll have to go back to an empty home filled with countless articles and priceless items.

a harsh stroke of his paddle accompanies the thought and as he stares at the now disturbed water hitting at a small rock that has been worn away by the constant strain of the lake, he cant help but think of how accurately it mirrors his emotions; A whirling mess of unevenness that is constantly crashing into him and tearing away at his soul slowly. And it is with a bitter smile that he wonders how long before he too, like the rock, wears away.

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AN: I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it. It was another spur of the moment thing that i had written long ago so i apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes. I actually happened to stumble upon it today and decided to fix it up a bit and publish it. Let me know what you guys thought. :) and thanks again for reading!


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